


the art of rivalry

by soapbar



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: And feels, M/M, and lots of blood, expect angst, itori being itori, mature themes, young renji, young uta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:33:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22966225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soapbar/pseuds/soapbar
Summary: "Have you ever heard of the city of Shinjuku in Tokyo? It is said that it used to be a sanctuary for the weary travelers back in the day. It was a time that flourished with people seeking refuge and pleasure from the women that served in the inns. But I wouldn’t know about it since I never saw it for myself. What I do know is that once the inns closed down it became a deserted ghost town. Then one day, insatiable creatures emerged and calamity came in, and the town was reborn into a city of destruction, with ghouls lurking in every crevice eagerly awaiting their prey. How does that even make any sense? Anyways, if you don’t know who Uta is here in the fourth ward then you don’t know anything.Why, you ask? You’ll find all that out in due time."
Relationships: Uta/Yomo Renji
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

Tearing. Biting. Devouring with teeth that were meant to consume and never provide, with ideals of the self and never of the victim. For what was a victim than a cowardly fool, incapable of seeing beyond the day of their destruction?

With deft fingers hovering over the carnage that had once been sinewy skin, there was a blatant lack of hesitation in his ministrations, as his callous actions brought about the end to another pitiful human. The aforementioned male was neither human, nor empathetic. A carnivore through and through, one without a shred of remorse for the blasphemous act he had just committed.

While some might call it murder, he preferred to think of it as _survival_.

The thick crimson liquid oozed in copious amounts down the body and as he continued without a second thought, his fingers were soon coated in the sticky substance. A pronounced pause as he greedily lapped at the blood in a futile attempt to quell his hunger, his tongue roaming idly to consume all of its exquisite splendor. The ache that had nearly driven him ravenous earlier was easing as he ingested more flesh, swallowing carefully between bites so as to savor the grandiose flavor that drove their kind insane. There was no taste that could compare with it. How could something that was so succulent be considered wrong? It wasn't until his senses alerted him of an unwelcome guest did he reluctantly glance up, the darkened irises displaying mild annoyance at having his meal interrupted, now of all times.

"Who dares interrupt me while I feed?"

He did not stand, however, his stance was rigid as his toned shoulders faced an unassuming business man that took a wrong turn for whatever reason. A mistake that would soon cost him his life. Such a shame.

The portly male, adorned in a tightly-fitted suit widened his eyes as he took in the unsightly massacre of a body nearby. The power of smell was incredible. After getting a faint whiff, he was soon gagging despite being more than thirty feet away from the scene. His stubby fingers now shaking in alarm as he clutched his bulging face, he was undoubtedly afraid for his life. A wise choice, all things considered. Humans were self-preserving and did not like to put their lives in danger.

They were also interesting in the way that they dealt with things that they did not understand. The oppressive atmosphere had a distinctive stench of a pungency mixed in with a tinge of sickening sweetness. The dead corpse was to thank for that, of course. The area was an old alleyway, far from any prying eyes that would pose too many stupid questions. He had become accustomed to consuming his meals in secrecy. It was either that or face death from being found out. The intruder took all of this in unassuming stride, that is, until he spotted the motionless body with a suspicious figure eyeing him with thinly veiled animosity. And so, pointing at the male that was licking off blood from slender digits like some feral beast, it was with little regard for his safety that he bellowed the rather articulate word of, "Monster!"

So it was going to be like that, huh.

The man had a point. He was a murderer for all intent and purposes, and that was sacrilegious enough. Not only had he murdered a man, but he was devouring him as if he were a piece of meat; akin to the cold slabs they liked to purchase from the market.

By taking the life away from another being, he was considered not a human in this misguided fellow's mind. They took killing quite seriously, those humans. It was a crime that would thereafter brand him a criminal for life, sentenced to a life of imprisonment and scorn that was well deserved. A specimen that no longer had any place in modern society due to his unpardonable actions.

How ironic that he had never belonged to this society in the first place.

Having to scourge for something to satiate this never ending hunger that he was plagued with day after day. It never got better, merely manageable. The entails of human beings was what sustained him and like any being in this world, it was survival of the fittest. Only the more powerful creatures that possessed brute strength instead of morality could stomach the need to massacre innocent beings for sustenance. Yet, nobody blinked an eye when the lion devours the antelope.

Was it his fault that he was born a lion instead of an antelope?

Although his outer appearance differed little from that of an ordinary male, he was truly a wolf in sheep's clothing. It allowed him to seamlessly fit into the confines of his surroundings, with ignorance being prevalent to the point of being laughable. It wasn't necessarily that he relished to take advantage of the thickheaded beings that roamed in throngs around him, it was simply too amusing to pass up. Especially when they were as vacuous as this man. He would have to make him eat his words.

His strands of hair had unmistakable streaks of blood spilled from murder, and so he did not bother to conceal the weapon that erupted from his back. The errant weapon moved smoothly from behind his back to rest over the entirety of his shoulders and swayed as flexible as liquid muscle. It was as if a trap had emerged, one that would allow him to ensnare his prey.

"Stay away from me, you freak!"

With the element of surprise on his side, the younger male sadistically allowed the tendrils to pierce the human's skin, soon emerging from the other side of his torso. Another piece of the monstrous being wrapped itself around a part that was still beating as it soothingly encircled it. It allowed itself to be led back to its master as he carelessly devoured the vital organ known as the heart. Without any means for pumping his blood, the sorry excuse of a man crawled for a few more seconds, leaving blood in his trail as he pitifully stammered out.

"......I d-don't...... want to d-d-i-e."

His breathing become pronounceable, the sound labored as he fought to remain in the realm of living. His time was diminishing rapidly and he would only last mere moments more. His organs were damaged and his heart had been eaten, so there was no chance of him surviving from this ordeal. With the steady decrease in blood, it did not take long in the slightest. So fragile, those humans. His body was covered in streaks of dirt, and his inner entrails tarnished the once pristine suit as more blood was shed. His eyes were opened then dimmed as his time came to an end. The color of his eyes were an interesting shade of azure. A foreigner, perhaps?

With no respect in his actions, the male tore out one of the eyeballs and studied it for a moment before blithely consuming it. They were rather crunchy. A full minute had not even passed since the human's untimely demise. It was mid-bite that he found himself becoming interrupted yet again. This time it was a slender but voluptuous, fair-skinned woman with orange locks that barely reached her shoulders who decided to casually emerge from the darkness that shrouded the moonless night. A quick glance at her surroundings confirmed her suspicions as she then parted her full lips to utter a nonchalant statement.

"Looks like _someone's_ enjoying themselves. Geez, not even going to save me a bite, Uta-san?"

The male named Uta flickered his gaze away from her as he continued to eat, his canines sharply digging into the liver that was tantalizingly tender yet surprisingly juicy. He was not going to allow his meal to be spoiled. He was the sort that prefer to not be interrupted while he ate. Although he would refrain from attacking her, he did not appreciate the disturbance that her presence entailed. Perhaps if he ignored her she would simply cease to remain an eyesore. One could only hope for such a miracle to occur.

At the blatant dismissal, she jutted out her mouth to form a pout. It was greatly exaggerated and a tad bit feigned. Yet, she was nothing if not determined. Having been used to this sort of behavior exhibited from the rebellious teenager, she knew exactly which buttons to push. And push them she certainly did.

"Are you seriously ignoring me now? Why, I'm hurt!"

She had even folded her arms tightly, allowing her ample cleavage to become more pronounced. Any sane man would salivate at the provocative sight that was presented before him. Not that this would detract in any way from a certain ghoul's concentration. The mischievous female had taken to lightly tap her stilettos against the besmirched concrete beneath her feet as more blood and other bodily fluids oozed out of the body that was further torn into. Not that she came close enough to allow the chance for her shoes to become sullied. They were designer heels, after all.

"...Being around you appeared to have ruined my appetite."

He swallowed a final piece then stood abruptly, caring little of the scattered carcass that was now strewn haphazardly in all of its tarnished glory. The first body long forgotten along with his former appetite, the bleached-blond male glared imprudently at the female that appear to have a permanent smirk etched upon her features. He was still rather bitter than he hadn't had a satisfying fill. It didn't concern him in the slightest that he was leaving behind perfectly edible meat. There were always willing bodies to sate his inevitable hunger.

Rather, his sole concern was getting the hell away from this nuisance of a woman.

Without a pause in his stride he removed a pair of round sunglasses from the confines of his pocket, allowing them to hide the strange discoloration that his eyes always seemed to be. While it was normal for a ghoul's kakugan to have a black sclera with red irises when their state becomes excited, his eyes, for whatever reason, were permanently affixed that way. He didn't possess normal eyes like Itori that reverted to resemble that of a human's; even when he was calm and not hunting for food. It was a mystery to even him. He preferred to wear these to not arouse unnecessary attention to himself when possible. Humans could be perceptive about the strangest of things.

The female wasted no time in filling the stifling silence that appeared between them with nonsensical chatter, rambling about the latest tidbit of information that she had recently acquired. She was notorious for having a penchant for gossip and keeping herself well informed of the latest happenings around them. A side of her that was most useful for someone that was considered the undisputed leader of this ward. Being prone to ignore her plethora of nonsensical gibberish, there was something that made his waning interest perk up drastically.

"There have even been rumors swirling around of this crazy powerful ghoul that just came out of nowhere! He's supposedly really strong. Maybe even as tough as you are, Uta-san. Well, maybe not that strong. But why would he come to this godforsaken heap of a place? He must be looking for someone? I will have to ask my trusted source for further details. Aaaaah, how exciting is that! And you know what else—"

His breath hitched for an infinitesimal amount of time as he mustered an insouciant shrug. "Beats me. Why should I give a damn about some nameless rebel?" While he may have been able to fool the loquacious informant, it was difficult to conceal the devious grin that did little to dispel the suddenly intimidating aura that his persona seemed to give out. He cracked his knuckles in reticent anticipation. Why did he feel like his life was suddenly going to get more interesting?

Bring it, punk. Allow me to put you in your place.

That was what his demeanor appeared to suggest. The female curtly assessed the noticeable shift in the air. Although she didn't know when to keep her mouth shut to save her life, it was times like these that make one think that she had planned this all along. A finely arched eyebrow rose in barely contained glee. Her expression became euphoric as she turned her head, suddenly unwilling to answer the leader's inquiry of what exactly was she was hiding from him now. That perhaps the rumors she had heard were the web, and she had spun the silver string of fate, sifting things in place just so. Perhaps there was more than meets the eye with the cryptic damsel known as Itori.


	2. Chapter 2

_b_  
_a_  
_n_  
_g_

_b_  
_a_  
_n_  
_g_

_p_  
_o_  
_w_

_Smack._  
The sound of joints and muscles separating from a force of impact.  
_rip snap rip snap crack_

There was a noticeable sound that seemed to reverberate throughout the open plaza. It wasn't a pleasant sound. Rather, it spoke of brutality, of pain being inflicted, of a resounding howl of agony as the recipient made his displeasure known.

"Hey! What the fuck do you think you're doing?! That hurts, it really hurts!"

If he was expecting sympathy, it was surely a lost cause.

There was no pause and the assailant did not relent in their actions, as evidenced by his firm grip turning sharply as he contorted the poor man's arm even more than before, if that was at all possible. There was no shred of sympathy upon his facial features, for he believed he was conducting himself in a reasonable matter.

It was with a blithe sense of boredom that the teenaged male lowly inquired, "Do you know why this is happening to you?"

He was not trying to further rile the other male. Rather, it was because he wanted to silence the insufferable noise the other presence entailed. It amused him seeing his prey fighting for dear life. The verve of saving your own hide was something that any living being possessed. The delinquent seemed to become more enraged, evidenced by almond eyes narrowing to form thin slits. He was the sort of wrongdoer that possessed the tendency to speak without thinking. As his rage steadily mounted, it was only a matter of time before logic deserted him. Anger was a powerful emotion that was more volatile than viable. It resisted peace and only served to instill decay and ruin upon the unlucky recipient.

"Hah? I can’t stand retarded punks that don’t know their fucking place." There was no inclination of guilt, despite the fact that the aforementioned male was doing little to conceal the fact that he ate ghouls, regardless of feeding grounds. See, he didn’t enjoy enforcing rules in the slightest. It was tedious and a major headache on his part, having to keep these tenacious pricks in line. To ensure that the offending male paid attention, the lawmaker had little qualms with reaching over to firmly grasp one of his ears, insistently pulling him towards his bent over profile before he uttered the following words with a patronizing tone.

"I don’t like to repeat myself, so I highly suggest you listen closely."

It was not a trifle suggestion, but an order commanding the complete attentiveness of the sorry fool that incessantly tugged to be released from the iron grip of the menacing imp. Not that he ever had a say in this to begin with.

"As ghouls, we are meant to consume humans. Nothing more, nothing less. Where in the hollow space that you call a brain did you believe you could become a cannibal, and live to tell the tale?" The pale lips that venomously coaxed words of agony now displayed a row of teeth curved upwards into a jaunty smirk. "Sheesh! Acting all high and mighty like ya some kinda boss in the mafia. Lemme go already!"

He was put in charge of this ward, so it was his sole responsibility to ensure there were no troublemakers. If there were any, then he had to right that wrong without preamble otherwise their safety and self-preservation as a species would be compromised. And that was something that he wanted to avoid at all costs.

There was no particular reason why he had to continue this conversation. "Good _bye_." It wasn't until he heard the unmistakable sound of bone marrow separating that he hummed contemplatively as he flung the dismembered arm over his shoulder in a distracted manner, not breaking from his trance until he heard a series of jarring chortles from a pair of burly men. They were the type that appeared to be all brawls and no brains; muscle men that existed to pound on whoever got on their nerves.

“Look at what we have here. Some tough guy trying to take out some of our men, it seems. Do you want to know what we do to little troublemakers like you?” The second male appeared to be rather dim and lacking the necessary amount of brain cells so he released an obnoxious laugh, the kind that got on one’s nerves. It was more annoying than intimidating.

The so-called "troublemaker" did not pay them any heed, interestingly enough. He resumed his rather engaging pastime of removing further limbs and flinging them for idle amusement. His expression remained impassive, with the corner of his mouth furrowed in mild bemusement. He didn’t see what he was doing as inherently wrong? Some dimwits they were, speaking informally to him like that. Uta did not like to assert his authority without a valid cause, so he attempted to tune them out.

A successful feat initially, that is, until he was coughing up stomach acid from the hole they had decided to grace him with. The rusty metallic pole protruding from the male with the dopey eyes was the cause.

"Well, that wasn’t very nice of you."

Allowing the five severed fingers to fall from his loose grasp, the ghoul serenely stated these words without a hint of the ire that he was currently experiencing. He was rather gifted at concealing his emotions; allowing a mask to surface and in doing so revealing a welcoming disposition.

The opposite was true in this situation. He was upset and he would not hesitate to incur his wrath upon the unsuspecting fools that wouldn’t shut their traps. It was one part of his job description that he did not take pleasure from. Having to deal with those that didn’t know their place and disturbed his coveted peace were like ants to him—existing only to be crushed and extinguished in a methodological, yet precise way. A severe punishment would show these vermin what happened when they dared to cause a disturbance in his ward. He would not be trifled with.

Without a hint of tentativeness in his stride, he casually spat up the saliva that appeared more blood than saliva. It remained on the ground, a puddle of unpleasantness. The revolting sight merely fueled his indignation.

He still did not bother to face them, taking ample time to ensure that his headband was firmly affixed in place. He even rolled his shoulders backwards, allowing lithe muscles the opportunity to stretch and ease out of the stiffened stance that he was formerly in. Humming thoughtfully, he remained unconcerned and didn’t raise a finger to strike.

"It would be in your best interests to leave…" He airily stated as idle fingers coated with blood flexed. Common thugs were known to possess strength in numbers rather than as individuals. He was used to being a loner of sorts, with no members in his solo entourage. It didn’t suit his style. Having to coerce weaker individuals into doing his dirty work was something he viewed as recreant, more fitting for a coward than a leader. "…unless you wanna end up like that fella over there." His chin jutted towards the mangled remains of their fallen comrade. Why not just take care of the problem himself? It made more sense to solve these insignificant quarrels with his bare hands.

The fewer complications there were, he thought, made it all the better for him. His manner of thinking could be remarkably simple at times.

Those words were certainly provoking, as evidenced by the first thug impulsively lunging forward in a desperate attempt to land a punch, his fury unmistakable. "How dare you!" Swerving sharply to avoid the attack, Uta nonchalantly kicked two men to the ground with the minimal amount of effort exerted, as if they were harmless; an inconvenient existence as similar to meager flies that encircled his vicinity. Buzzing around until they were put out of their misery.

"You were saying?" Their movements were sloppy at best, so Uta was able to make quick work over the majority. There were only two males left standing, with faces that were more damaged than clean. Dirt and extensive scraps littered their boorish appearances, and their breathing was labored and pronounced. It appeared that one solid impact would put an end to this insignificant fight. What a waste of time that proved to be.

As he advanced towards them, there came a yelp as one of them dropped to the ground in a shameless display of groveling. "Shit… I, uh, s-surrender!" It puzzled the blond adolescent, in all honesty. To see a full-grown, muscular man that was nearly twice his size shamelessly kneeling at his feet after having the nerve to fight him with the intention to kill him. How the tides have changed. He wasn’t the only one stupefied at the sudden turn of events, as his accomplice leered at him and opened his mouth in bewilderment. Mustering a gruff huff he stammered out, "Kado! You must’ve hit your head a little too hard, eh, buddy?"

The male leaning on the floor glared imprudently at the other crony before holding up a thick finger to his mouth as he hissed to silence the foolish male, "Sh-Shut it! Don’t you see, man? This guy ain’t the average joe. He seems like a ghoul you don’t wanna mess with." Turning back, he regarded the younger male with a sort of misplaced admiration. There was obviously a tepid sort of fear still swirling in the depths of his beady black eyes. "I, want to, um, a-apologize on behalf of my pal. Stupid guy… doesn’t know when to keep his mouth s-shut."

Paying little heed to the squawk of discontentment that emerged from the male in question, Uta didn’t bother to spare words, having no plausible reason to believe them. It was difficult for them to gain his trust, as he was someone that preferred to keep others at a safe distance, as ward of the fourth district. Having undisputed power meant that choosing your allies was vital and something that he didn’t bother with.

Why give someone the power to stab him in the back later?

As his tongue eased from the inner cavities, Uta lapped the crimson liquid that was precariously trailing along the entirety of his face, stray droplets falling to stain the ground. His eyelids eased shut in weariness. With flaxen strands that were drenched in the blood spilled by the onslaught, he really had little patience in dealing with these goons. Figuring that they were a waste of his time, he spoke distantly from the corner of his mouth, not bothering to spare them a second glance.

"I would rather you spare me the bullshit."

At the final utterance, the wounded male ambled away, hands settling in the confines of his pockets. It wasn’t until he experienced a heaviness in his movements did he stop entirely, glancing downwards in thinly veiled animosity, "What the—"

"Please forgive us." Again, that tattooed old geezer. "Let go of my foot before you make me regret sparing you."

"Not until you say uh, a-apology accepted." Uta didn't spare an instant as he forcibly spat out the single syllable. " _Now_." There was a lack of sound as the tense atmosphere continued, broken only by the arrogance he addressed the other. "I mean it. I’ll snap off all your fingers and eat them as you howl in pain."

.  
.  
.

"Say it first. P-Please!" _Snaaaap_. A forceful kick was imperative for the older male to be flung into a discombobulated heap on the ground. The provoked youth spoke nonsensically, the words tumbling out in rapid succession.

"I tried to warn you, didn’t I? It’s not a pretty sight, me getting utterly pissed. You might not get to see the light of day once I’m done with you and your ugly ass friend!" He was now standing atop all of the dead carcasses; a tower of ruin and destruction. Adding two more surely wouldn’t hurt. With manic hues that lusted for bloodshed, he peered scornfully down at his latest victims. Raising the pointer finger on his right hand, the other male named Sumi aimed to clarify one vital piece of information.

"It was nice knowing you, Kado."

A moot point, for it was improbable that he would remain unscathed from Uta’s fury. Once his seemingly impenetrable fortress of calmness was breached, he was unable to behave rationally. His movements were erratic yet he moved with a sort of ease, as if he knew which vital points to hit to ensure the maximum amount of bloodshed and pain. His recipients were looking worse for wear, as their screams of anguish eventually ebbed into feeble gasps of suffering. If things continued in such a fashion, they wouldn’t last much longer.

A shame their pitiful lives were about to be extinguished, until… Uta couldn’t for the life of him recall when the feeling of ecstasy turned into a throbbing discomfort. The sole indicator was the bright stain that seemed to spread over the entirety of his torso as his stomach wound from earlier was reopened, in its entirely gory splendor.

His breathing became erratic as his senses began to fail him; the rapid blood loss was to blame.

His adrenaline was elevated, as he belatedly came to the stupefying realization that someone managed to finally land a hit on him. The sole object that his mind had about his attacker before losing consciousness involved hazy recollections of the strangest shade of silver.

**Author's Note:**

> The lack of fanfiction dedicated to this pairing is no bueno. This particular work will entail a simple retelling of the history between two ghouls and how their paths become intertwined—for better or for worse. It will be based upon the canon presented to us from the manga, with added details to allow for more depth regarding the characters themselves. While my updates will be sporadic, this is a concept that I have been interested in exploring for some time. 
> 
> Hopefully I don't make a total ass of myself in the process.


End file.
